Giveaway

09 August 2009

Blogging politics and why I stay out of it.

I'm generally very quiet when it comes to the politics and issues that pop up around the blogging community. I prefer to be gloriously ignorant of certain issues, does that make me a terrible blogger for not getting involved or defending a fellow blogger? I don't think so. I think it's just me not getting involved and trying to maintain a blog that I hope people will like. I'm striving hard to do the once-a-week reviews, which I know I have been a lacking. I'm trying to maintain a home life too with a husband, two kids, stepson on weekends, dog and a house. It's a lot of work! Plus I have a part-time job!
I want people to know that they can come here and discuss books or whatever else they want to talk about. But what is going on in the blogoverse will generally not be talked about.
I know that we are all here because we love to read books, whether it be children's picture books, middle grade books, young adult novels or the occasional adult novel. I will say one thing about something that has popped up on the blogs. We are all entitled to our own opinions regarding reviewing a book. A book that I may hate, you may love. A book that I love, you might hate! That is how life goes. I'm not telling you to read the book or give up on the book, I'm just telling you what I thought of the book. If we all liked the same thing, we'd be a boring bunch of people. If I give two bookmarks to a book, it's because I had an issue with the book or the style of writing. Does that mean the book is bad or good? nope, it's just my opinion. A few months ago I was accused by an author for begging for a book, and then trashing the book. Which I never did. I simply stated that the main character was a bit annoying to me. I gave the book 3 bookmarks and was entirely honest in my review.
Use my reviews as a benchmark, not to come out and say "Well I'm not getting that book." because you never know, you may like it.
There is one book that I vehemently disliked, but you know what? it was such a bestseller and is now a movie (opening this Friday), that my opinion obviously didn't matter. The book in question is "The Lovely Bones", I viciously hated this book. It just wasn't what I would call a great book. But there are other people who will turn around and call me crazy. Reading is so subjective and objective. Crazy enough I liked Twilight, and many other people will decry that book. It's the way it goes. Even Stephen King gets a bad review once in a while.
I hope that people take a look at the world around them and realize that we are all different people and we don't all like the same things.

I agree. Every one is different and just because I like/dislike a book doesn't mean everyone else will feel the same way. I always give my honest opinion on my book reviews and hope that the folks reading my blog will make their own decision on whether or not to read the book themselves. :)

Good luck with that staying out of the political side of book blogging. I'd love nothing better myself. What I have come to understand is if you opinion is different, then that automatically means the other person is wrong. I can tell by your post you feel this is bogus, but that is how it's taken many times. Sad part of blogging, but true.

Saying I don't like a particular book is like saying you don't like a flavor of ice cream. It's all a matter of taste. There is no right or wrong in it.

J.Kaye, I completely understand where you are coming from, and I do remain gloriously ignorant! I'm too busy to troll the blogs to see who's pissing off who.

Everyone has an opinion, and I really would like to think that my reviews are more to give the potential reader an idea as to what they may want to consider reading. I will never tell anyone not to buy a book or get it from the library. I absolutely hated PC & Kristin Cast's, Hunted. It was horrible, but there are people who loved it. C'est la vie! :)

I tend to shy away from blog politics too! And I do realize that books that I like may not be everyone else's cup of tea, and vice versa. It is pretty nice to see other bloggers excited over a book even if I had not be as happy.